Why is plastic pollution a global problem? Why has plastic pollution increased over the years?

Since its creation, plastic production has been increasing exponentially worldwide. Plastics are cheap, durable, and long-lasting materials, which translates into negative implications when they turn from a useful product into an environmental pollutant.

Given the massive amount of plastic we use as humans daily, plastic contamination within our bodies is not a surprise and deserves our attention. This contamination is not going away; on the contrary, it is growing continuously. It thus behooves us to find out where these polluting polymers travel and how they impact our health and wellbeing.

Plastic pollution is not ‘just’ an environmental issue. It is personal. Everyone is being exposed, we and others have shown that essentially everyone who lives in the developed world has detectable levels of not just one but multiple plastics in their bodies.